On June 24, 2011, the Leaf Chronicle reported that three women had been
arrested after falsely reporting domestic abuse. One of the men falsely
accused of domestic assault was my client. We had always maintained his
innocence. So when we were finally able to produce text messages from
his accuser admitting that she had lied to police, the arresting officer
and the prosecuting attorney were furious. They immediately dismissed
the charge against my client and took a warrant for his accuser’s
arrest. For my client, it was like waking up from a bad dream. For his
accuser, the reality of her choices will become more apparent as she faces
angry members of law enforcement in court.
In this modern world, our communications are more permanent than ever.
Many a litigant has been surprised on the witness stand or in depositions
when presented with their own text messages, e-mails, or entries on social
media websites. I have found that all advances in technology have some
trade-off. While we all enjoy the convenience of modern communication,
are words no longer disappear at the other end of the telephone line.
Many times, they etched in cyber-stone waiting to be recalled long after
our spoken words and feelings have subsided.
If you are a litigant or the criminally accused, do not discuss these
matters in writing, whether in text, e-mail, Facebook, MySpace, Linkedin,
etc. However, if you are aware of similar writings that will aid in your
case, be sure and make your attorney aware of them. You may be surprised
at the results.
Etched in Cyber-stone: Communication in the Digital Age
Posted By
Patton & Pittman